Eek Skin Analysis!

Just over a fortnight ago, I was invited to Vivify in Whitefield to try the Environ Advanced Skin Analysis. This high tech skin analysis technique uses powerful Visia technology to assess problem areas and capture information to analyse skin problems. It targets areas such as skin damage and pigmentation, wrinkles, scars and congested pores.

I work very hard at my skin, and I ensure I cleanse, tone and moisturise properly every morning and night, even at those times where I can simply not be bothered. I have always known about the pigmentation on my face and have been fully aware that I have existing sun damage from spending the last 10 years in hot climates, and unfortunately not using a high factor on my face until my mid 20s. I’m also acutely aware of my large congested pores on my nose and that no matter how hard I try, and although they aren’t visible to anyone else, they are always visible to me.

Now, I’m a grown up. I’ve worked for sales companies and so on, so I fully expected a bit of the old selling techniques on how I can improve my skin etc and that the Environ products were the only products I’d need. I did do some research on Environ before my analysis, so I have read great reviews and average reviews. I’ve also looked at the ingredients used in Environ and also in my personal skincare products (Emma Hardie, Liz Earle, La Roche Posay and Pixi being the main ones). When I answered the questions by the skin technician, I answered truthfully and also that I had a very good skincare routine and what brands I used. I mentioned that I was interested in the science behind skincare and that I was trying to remove products with parabens from my routine. She dissed some of my skincare by saying that they were full of parabens, yet I knew that Environ products contained them. By the way, I hate it when people diss my personal choice of any product. It doesn’t want to make me throw out all my beauty products to clear a way for the companies products they are selling. Quite the contrary, it just makes me want to find products similar from another brand. I also got told, which annoyed me a little, that it didn’t matter how much water I drink (approximately 3 litres a day whilst at work)as if I have holes in my skin, it would all come out. What a totally ridiculous statement. I’m hydrated, and so is my skin.

Anyway, I’m digressing. Back to the analysis. I placed my head in this pretty scary looking machine and waited for the flash, hoping that it would pick up my lovely clear skin. But no, it went much deeper and much more intrusive than the surface and I was quite horrified at the results. What I wasn’t aware of was how mortifying it felt to be told I had extremely high levels of bacteria in my nose and that I had the skin of Madge from Benidorm ( not in as many words as I do tend to overexagerate!)

Now, I can kind of excuse the bacteria build up. I washed my face that morning at 8am, went out running errands around 10am and had to rush to my 4pm appointment. Make up, pollution and sweat probably didn’t make for a good analysis. The levels of sundamage I had were high, however I was expecting this, although luckily it is reversible. The UV damage can be reversed by using Environ products, and starting with a lose dosage of vitamin A enriched products and moving up to a high dosage. They also recommended a full range of home treatments, salon treatments and a change of lifestyle and dietary habits.

“There are too many empty promises in the beauty world,” says Environ Founder Dr Des Fernandes. “By using this sophisticated system we can now prove to our clients that using active skincare products and following our advice makes a measurable and visible difference.”

The list of products recommended to me was quite a hefty list in its entirety. The following products were advised

Advanced Nutrition Programme

Skin Omegas 1 a day £22 (This isn’t an Environ product, but a supplement to use alongside)

As you can see, the entire skincare routine would cost £218.93 and that most of these products would last around a month or two if used twice daily. Its exceptionally pricey, especially when you consider how many skincare products that you may already have and haven’t used. I purchased the Sebuwash cleanser as I wanted to try the brand out and report back my findings.

(I also noticed that the ‘prescription’ contained a section to push Jane Iredale mineral makeup too).

Overall, I’m in two minds over the skin analysis. One part of me just screams ‘shamed into buying products’, the other says the principles of the brand is great and that they can work wonders for those with problem skin.

Although I have problem areas, I don’t have problem skin. I’ve never suffered from acne, or scarring. I don’t have particularly oily skin, just a minor congestion on my nose. My skin is clear and healthy, I wear an SPF everyday, drink tons of water and take multivitamins, yet I felt pushed into a false sense of security. I kind of felt that i was being told was what I was doing wasn’t good enough yet if i switched to Environ my life would change and I would be the most glowing, flawless version of myself, but not in as many words. Don’t get me wrong, the lady who analysed my skin was lovely, but there was a definite hard sell under that smile and rather than walking away feeling pleased that all my efforts had paid off, I left feeling deflated and a bit annoyed to be honest.

Unless you have a serious or reoccurring issue that you want to get to the bottom of, I don’t think I would recommend having a skin analysis session. Although it is thoroughly interesting and I loved seeing the different parts and depths of my skin, if it is being carried out by an ambassador or rep from a company of skincare products then you know that you will have a list of products being prescribed to you at the end. For every product that has been described to me, I can list a replacement with the products that I have at home.

I’ll write up my blog on Sebuwash soon. Take a look at Environ products here and let me know what you think. Have you used Environ products? Please drop me a line!

That’s what I would have prefered, just a nudge in the right direction to say where I need to focus on. My Dermalogica face mapping was good in that respect as I had advice on what areas to concentrate on instead of all over xx

Really interesting read! Like you, I’d be interested in getting to know the results, but without the sales pitch. Also I’ve never heard about it before so maybe I’m wrong, but a pre-cleanser? Sounds a bit unnecessary to me!

It depends on how you class a pre cleanser, as I would say I just double cleanse! I always take my make up off using a micellar solution before cleansing my face properly with a wash/balm/foam cleanser but the Environ is a Pre cleansing oil, which is designed to remove all traces of make up etc. It doesn’t appeal to me, to be honest!xx

Amy Loves

Great post hun. We use Environ at the new college i teach at and i have to say, i’m not a huge fan. They seem to be all about sales which i personal hate – Where’s the love for helping your clients skin?!

I think it’s rather unprofessional for companies to bad mouth a clients skin care routine. As long as you have a skin care routine that’s all that matters!